MRI-Based Evaluation Improves the Validity of Rodent Nerve Regeneration Studies

Abstract

Rodent models are commonly used in preclinical studies on bioengineered conduits to induce nerve regeneration, but they often fail to predict human outcomes accurately. It is suspected that conventional evaluation methods, such as evoked electromyography and motor function assessments, are prone to errors and biases, which can lead to misleading conclusions. In this study, the limitations of conventional evaluation methods are highlighted by using muscle MRI to characterize pathophysiological changes in a rodent nerve injury model. Then, an alternative MRI-based evaluation method is proposed that quantified muscle cross-sectional area and T2 signal intensity, offering a non-invasive, repeatable evaluation with minimized errors and bias. Comparative analysis demonstrated the superior validity of the MRI-based evaluations. These findings suggest that MRI evaluation can enhance the validity of preclinical studies for developing nerve guide conduits and improve translational relevance to clinical outcomes.